Justice and Saddam Hussein

There will be no justice for Iraq's former ruler.

President Bush and members of Iraq's governing council vow that Saddam Hussein will be "brought to justice" in a trial that meets the civilized world's standards of fairness. But let us be honest: There will be no justice for Iraq's former ruler.

To be sure, his judges will approach their task conscientiously and with dignity. He will be defended by competent counsel, who will be given the time they need to make their case. Witnesses for the prosecution will be subject to cross-examination. And if Saddam is convicted, he will have the right to appeal.

What punishment could possibly fit the crimes of a monster like Saddam, who is responsible for the murder and torture of hundreds of thousands of human beings?

Nonetheless, justice will not be done. Not in any courtroom in Iraq, not in any courtroom on earth. How could it be? The very worst outcome Saddam is likely to face is a hanging or execution by firing squad. For a killer with the blood of one or two or 10 innocents on his hands, such a punishment might reasonably be said to fit the crime. But what punishment could possibly fit the crimes of a monster like Saddam, who is responsible for the murder and torture of hundreds of thousands of human beings?

"This is a regime" -- I am quoting The Threatening Storm by Kenneth Pollack, a Middle East scholar who served two tours of duty in Bill Clinton's National Security Council -- "that will gouge out the eyes of children to force confessions from their parents and grandparents. This is a regime that will crush all the bones in the feet of a 2-year-old girl to force her mother to divulge her father's whereabouts… This is a regime that will burn a person's limbs off to force him to confess or comply. This is a regime that will slowly lower its victims into huge vats of acid, either to break their will or as a means of execution… This is a regime that will drag in a man's wife, daughter, or other female relative and repeatedly rape her in front of him. This is a regime that will force a white-hot metal rod into a person's anus or other orifices. This is a regime that employs thalium poisoning, widely considered one of the most excruciating ways to die. This is a regime that will behead a young mother in the street in front of her house and children because her husband was suspected of opposing the regime. This is a regime that used chemical warfare . . . not just on the 15,000 killed and maimed at Halabja but on scores of other villages all across Kurdistan."

The liberation of Iraq from such mind-curdling horror was a profound moral achievement. It marks the fourth time in little more than a decade that the United States has freed Muslims from terror and totalitarian cruelty. To see Saddam being led from his pit, haggard and filthy and looking like a bus-station wino, was deeply satisfying, and no one relished it more than the Iraqis he had enslaved for so long. "The Fall of Saddam is Complete and the Sun has Returned to Shine on Iraq" was the headline Monday in Al-Zaman, Iraq's leading independent daily.

But not everyone is rejoicing. "The capture of Saddam has not made America safer," Howard Dean sulked, and there was mourning in Gaza City and Ramallah, where so many had danced on Sept. 11. The moral obtuseness extended even to the Vatican, where one senior official -- Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Institute for Justice and Peace and a former papal envoy to the UN -- expressed his "pity" for Saddam. "Seeing him like this, a man in his tragedy, despite all the heavy blame he bears, I had a sense of compassion for him."

It will be one purpose of Saddam's prosecution and trial to make it searingly clear, even to the Deans and Martinos of the world, that the US-led war in Iraq was a great blessing. It brought to an end one of the most evil regimes in human history -- and did so in the teeth of thunderous opposition. If it is organized properly, the trial of Saddam will lay the vast record of his sadism and bestiality before the world. For the first time, the tyrant's victims -- those who survived -- will have the chance to appear on the world stage and speak of Saddam's inhumanity to a rapt international audience.

And, no less important, they will do so in Arabic -- a crucial element in the war to pull the Middle East out of the dark ages.

It is Saddam and his accomplices who will be in the dock at the Baghdad Trials. But in a sense, those who willingly turned a blind eye to their crimes will be on trial, too -- the politicians and intellectuals and journalists and businessmen who preferred to overlook or excuse the savagery of the Ba'athists. The trials will be embarrassing to many in the antiwar movement and in the French-German-Russian "Axis of Weasel" who worked so strenuously to keep the United States from toppling Saddam. They may also embarrass the US government, which for a long time was among those that ignored Saddam's butchery. That history, too, should be brought out at trial.

At the trial of Saddam, as at the trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961, the prosecutor will not stand alone. With him will stand hundreds of thousands of silent accusers -- the men, women, and children whose voices were forever stilled during the long nightmare of Saddam's reign, but whose blood has never ceased crying out from the ground.

Visitor Comments: 13

(13)
Harrie,
November 27, 2006 12:27 PM

The Perfect Punishment for Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein has ruined so many lives, and I personally think that he should pay for all the torture and pain hes caused! I've never wanteed anyone to die because thats mean, but I'm willing to make an acception for this guy. After many discussion with close friends, the one punishment is an old one, but should help hjim see his mistakes. Stoned to Death! I knwo it's creul mean and horrid, but he deserves everyminutes of it and more. Let people see the man who ruined their lives and more, lay their in agony. I feel upset that I actually have to say this about one man, but I feel no guilt and see no reason why I should. I understand the consept of an eye for an eye. But he's taken far too far and over. If he is given a quick death, I feel everyone will hang their heads in shame to let the worlds most hated, horrid pure evil man get off with an easy, quick death. Stoned to death, it will be long, horrid and so much more. We should also let him know his punishment, so the fear of a painful death will build inside him for days. I know I sound horrid, cruel and twisted...but I'm just saying what this man deserves...

(12)
Karen Tackitt,
January 3, 2004 12:00 AM

There is ALWAYS a payday!

The evil of Saddam Hussein is a sign of the times. "Woe unto those who call evil good and good evil." Isaiah 5:20. We have turned a "blind eye" to the evils of the world when it doesn't affect us directly, but that is a fallacy. Evil affects everyone on the planet. God is all-knowing and sees the hearts of men. Even if Saddam hussein gets off "scott free", there will be a Judge he will face when he dies. eternity is a long time. I often wonder, though I know the answer, if hell will be hot enough.

(11)
Ross Harvey,
December 29, 2003 12:00 AM

No justice for Saddam

I have heard a number of suggestions as what should be done to Saddam. Your article on this subject has covered all that has to do with the punishment of Saddam. Justice is receiving the punishment deserved. I can think of no punishment that would be justice for Sadam.

(10)
Gary Higley,
December 28, 2003 12:00 AM

truthful

This is a truthful statement which Mr. Jacoby has made.

(9)
Anonymous,
December 25, 2003 12:00 AM

Saddam and Safety

Yes, Saddam is and was a bastard and deserve a punishment fitting the crime,but I can separate that from what Howard Dean and others have said. We have lost sight of the fact that we are supposed to be going after those who attacked the US -- namely Osama Bin Laden and his ilk. Saddam was just an easy target, a sort of unfinished business for Bush and his dad. There was and is no proof that he was involved with 9/11 and no proof of existance of WMD.

Sure, he and his henchman did unspeakable acts, but then so have Palestinian leaders, African leaders, and countless other dictators. Why not go after them? Because they have nothing to offer Bush and his friends. No oil, no resources.

And what if some other country feels that the U.S. is a threat to them? By going after Saddam for no other reason than a vengence act, we have given the world permission to attack us "preemptively."

GET REAL, PEOPLE! Saddam deserves to suffer, but don't forget the bigger picture!

(8)
Aaron,
December 23, 2003 12:00 AM

Who believes that the Iraqi Gov't was NOT evil?

It is remarkable that even as the truth about the profound inhumanity of the former Iraqi government emerges, there are still those who would argue that we have no right to call that government 'evil'. If that government was not evil, then can someone who opposes that label please describe what an evil government might look like?

(7)
Michael,
December 23, 2003 12:00 AM

Troubling

While glad to see the end of Saddam, I can not but help remember the events of his reign. Such as who inspired him to his war with Iran, who acquiesced to his invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent turnaround politically that lead to the Gulf War. The light to the world also reveals truth. Reconsider the events of the scenario, the timings of annoucements, and the politically correct structured social engineering.

(6)
Anonymous,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

Deserves widest circulation for many are in the dark about the reality of what Iraq under Saddam Hussein represented

May the rejoicing of the many who were endangered by Saddam Hussein's regime help to convince the many who continue in ignorance of the implications of his capture, downfall and eventual sentencing and elimination from the world, preventing him from again wreaking havoc, injury and death on others.

(5)
Anonymous,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

Calling a war "a great blessing"

Stating that the "war in Iraq was a great blessing" and that those who expressed opposition to the war are morally obtuse is insulting, and particularly from a Jewish organization that generally speaks from supposedly the high moral ground. The Iraqi war was fought on the false pretense that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, none of which have yet to be found; the war destroyed the infracstructure of Iraq and resulted in the death of thousands of Iraqi civilians; the war caused the US to weaken the United Nations and lose support of many of our previous allies; the war gave our enemies (the terrorist) a rallying point and strengthened their cause. This war was not a "great blessing". Certainly some may say it was a necessary war, but dignifying this war as a "great blessing" only provides encouragement for our next invasion of another country that we deem "evil".

(4)
Anonymous,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

justice for sadaam?

i read the title to your article "justice will not be done for sadamm" and while i understood the context in which it was written, i couldn't help but think, "justice for sadaam? what about justice for his victims??" now i can get a better understanding of how our holocaust survivor ancestors must have felt when hitler took the easy way out and killed himself. after such atrocities, there isn't a human being in the world that can contrive an adequate punishment for sadaam (and for the other sadists in the world) that would even halfway equal the punishment he deserves. well, we do have Hashem after all. He keeps the world's books better than any of us ever can.

(3)
Gabriella Levin,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

Startling

A startlingly revelation of Saddam's treacheries. The saddest aspect of this article is that it's dead true.

(2)
Anonymous,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

No Justice for Saddam

Excellent!!!!!! How could any decent person disagree with this article!? Mr. Jacoby simply presents the facts, and the logical conclusion that ethical people should draw from the facts. BRAVO!

(1)
Judy Goates,
December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

TRUTH

This is the most truthful article I have seen since this most dreadful man has been captured. He is from the pit of hell.What he really deserves he will only receive when he meets his maker.And then it will be forever

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

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